Why I'm eating crow about those magnetic fuel savers

I've been rolling my eyes at those little magnets you clamp on fuel lines for years. Thought it was pure snake oil, like those $40 ion bracelets for balance. But my neighbor Phil stuck a set on his 2002 F-150 back in June and his MPG jumped from 14 to almost 17 over four weeks of local driving. I still don't buy the whole 'aligning molecules' explanation, but the numbers are right there on his gas receipts. Has anyone else seen real changes from these things or is this just confirmation bias on my part?

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2 Comments

dylan_brown302mo ago

Did Phil check his tire pressure and driving routes before and after? Those two things alone can swing MPG by 2-3 miles per gallon. I'd want to see him run the same exact loops for another month with the magnets off to be sure. Also, newer trucks have computers that adjust fuel trim over time, so his truck might have just been learning a better tune. It's way too easy to fool yourself with small sample sizes on gas mileage.

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the_paul2mo ago

Honestly, I'd probably still be fooling myself just to justify the $40 I spent on those ion bracelets.

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